Posted Oct 19th 2009 12:53AM by TMZ Staff
Drunk driving is drunk driving -- but as far as DUIs go, Stephanie Pratt is no Gary Collins.
We've learned the "Hills" star took two breathalyzer tests after she was pulled over in Hollywood early Sunday morning. The first was .08, the second was a .09.
The legal limit in California is .08.
She was not stopped because she was driving erratically, but because of an equipment violation.
As we first reported, Pratt felt the cops were lying in wait for her as she left a club in Hollywood.
Pratt was held on $5,000 bail and released Sunday afternoon.
Filed under: TV, The Hills, Drunks, Exclusives
Tags: dui, stephanie pratt, StephaniePratt, the hills, TheHills
Posted Oct 19th 2009 12:35AM by TMZ Staff
Much like he did with Stephanie Birkitt, David Letterman also used Holly Hester in sketches on his old "Late Night with David Letterman."
Here's a bit Dave did with Hester, who claims to have had a relationship with Letterman, all the way back in 1988. In this scene, Hester went by the name Phoebe.
Filed under: TV, David Letterman
Tags: david letterman, DavidLetterman, holly hester, HollyHester
Posted Oct 19th 2009 12:15AM by TMZ Staff
The cell phone abusing First Lady of California appeared on "Today" this morning -- where the whole crew wasted no time bustin' her chops over that whole talking-while-driving thing.
When asked about the handsfree debacle, Maria Shriver said "Of all the things I've done in my life, this has gotten the most attention."
Here we thought it was marrying Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Filed under: TV, Politix, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver
Tags: arnold schwarzenegger, ArnoldSchwarzenegger, cell phone, CellPhone, maria shriver, MariaShriver, today show, TodayShow
Posted Oct 18th 2009 1:16PM by TMZ Staff
Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden says they have evidence that the runaway balloon incident was a "hoax" and a "publicity stunt" to promote a reality show.
Alderden says they plan on filing charges against Richard and Mayumi Heene soon -- one of which would be contributing to the delinquency of a minor, which is a felony. The other charges could be conspiracy, false reporting and attempt to influence an officer.
The most significant charges they face could result in a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
The kids will probably not face charges, Alderden says, because of their age. Alderden says Child Protective Services has been notified and will be conducting an investigation.
Alderden says the hoax was a "planned event for two weeks."
Alderden said that if the charges do go forward, they will seek restitution for all the expenses the county incurred. He doesn't believe anyone would serve jail time because of the overcrowding situtation in Colorado and because it would be their first offense.
He did not set a time frame for when arrests would be made.
The sheriff also said this about Richard Heene: "His education level is only high school ... he may be nutty, but he's not a professor."
Filed under: TV, Balloon Boy
Tags: balloon boy, BalloonBoy, heene, hoax
Posted Oct 18th 2009 1:10PM by TMZ Staff
Stephanie Pratt spent Saturday evening at a birthday party in Hollywood for Holly Montag. She spent Sunday morning in jail after she was arrested for DUI.
A good time was had by all. Maybe too good.
Filed under: TV, The Hills, Drunks, Photo Galleries
Tags: dui, holly montag, HollyMontag, hollywood, stephanie pratt, StephaniePratt
Posted Oct 18th 2009 10:44AM by TMZ Staff
UPDATE -- A source close to Pratt tells us Stephanie had just left Holly Montag's birthday party when she was pulled over. Our source says cops watched Stephanie get in her car and were waiting to bust her.
TMZ has learned Stephanie Pratt was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence early this morning in Hollywood.
Law enforcement tells us Pratt, who appears frequently on MTV's "The Hills," was busted this morning at 3:45 AM PT in Hollywood.
She was taken into custody. Her bail is set at $5,000.
Pratt is still in custody. She's just been booked.
UPDATE: So how's this for crazy. We're told some spectators who had just gotten out of a club saw Pratt get busted. Some started taking pictures, which ticked off some of the others and a big fight broke out on the street while Stephanie was being cuffed. But Steph was the only one taken into custody.
Story developing ...
Filed under: TV, The Hills, Drunks, Exclusives
Tags: dui, stephanie pratt, StephaniePratt, the hills, TheHills
Posted Oct 17th 2009 7:00AM by TMZ Staff
The parents of "Real Housewives" star A.J. Jewell still claim their son was beaten to death -- even after a medical examiner claims sickle cell anemia may have played a role his death.
The parents' rep gave TMZ the following statement on their behalf:
"Our son 'AJ' had the sickle cell trait which caused no related medical problems during his life. We feel AJ's death was a result of the malicious attack by the individual and/or individuals present during the fight."
Meanwhile, the defense attorney for Frederick Richardson -- the club manager who was charged with voluntary manslaughter of Jewell -- told TMZ: "I would have liked to have found a cause of death before rushing to judgment."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, TV, Real Housewives, Exclusives
Tags: aj jewell, AjJewell, ashley jewell, AshleyJewell, real housewives of atlanta, RealHousewivesOfAtlanta
Posted Oct 16th 2009 4:01PM by TMZ Staff
Jon Gosselin didn't find out TLC was suing him from their lawyers ... or his own. His mode of notification: Google Alerts.
So that means Jon must get every story written about him sent to his Blackberry. Including this one. Hi Jon.
Filed under: Paparazzi Video, TV, Jon & Kate
Tags: google, google alerts, GoogleAlerts, jon gosselin, JonGosselin, kate gosselin, KateGosselin, tlc
Posted Oct 16th 2009 2:05PM by TMZ Staff
UPDATE 2:20 PM ET -- A TLC official tells TMZ the Heene family approached the network "months ago" with a reality show idea, but the network passed.
TMZ has learned the Heene family has been pitching a reality show about the wacky family, as one TV source put it, "all over town."
We're told Richard Heene pitched a series to Relativity Real, as well as RDF Productions. RDF produces "Wife Swap," on which the family appeared back in March.
We're also told the Heene's have made the rounds at the networks, including TLC. Of course, TLC produced "Jon & Kate Plus 8."
So is balloon boy the ultimate reality show pitch?
Stay tuned...
Filed under: TV, Exclusives, Balloon Boy
Tags: balloon boy, BalloonBoy, heene family, HeeneFamily, reality show, RealityReal, RealityShow, richard heene, RichardHeene, tlc, wife swap, WifeSwap
Posted Oct 16th 2009 1:35PM by TMZ Staff
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office just held a press conference on the Heene family's flying saucer caper -- and they said, as of now, they feel it was a "real event" and not a hoax.
Sheriff Jim Alderden said Falcon's parents "expressed statements, non verbal communication, body language, and emotions that were consistent with the events taking place."
He confirmed Richard Heene called the FAA first, then a local TV station before calling 911 -- because 9 News had a helicopter they believed could help the situation.
Also interesting to note -- Falcon's parents were asked if they wanted to be present when investigators interviewed him yesterday, but they didn't care, so he went solo.
Alderdon said the video of Falcon from Larry King has raised skepticism in the department and they will re-interview the family tomorrow -- giving the boy time to recover from that puke filled interview on "Today."
Filed under: TV, Balloon Boy
Tags: balloon boy, BalloonBoy, FAA, investigation, richard heene, RichardHeene, today
Posted Oct 16th 2009 11:00AM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has obtained a copy of the lawsuit TLC just filed against Jon Gosselin, and the network is essentially saying Jon is a liar by now claiming he stopped production because he's concerned about the welfare of his kids -- TLC says Jon is concerned about the welfare of Jon.
According to the suit, filed by Paul Gaffney of the law firm of Williams & Connolly in DC, the day TLC recast the show as "Kate Plus 8," Jon's lawyer contacted TLC and demanded that they release him from the "exclusivity" provision of the contract, even though Jon was still drawing a full salary. The suit claims Jon's laywer gave an ultimatum -- either release him from the exclusivity clause within one hour, or Jon would block the filming of the TLC show on grounds it was "detrimental to his children."
TLC notes Jon never uttered a peep about how bad the show was for his kids, until it affected his pocketbook.
And, TLC claims Jon is pulling in some serious bucks from "Entertainment Tonight" -- aka "Entertainment Something."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, TV, Jon & Kate
Posted Oct 16th 2009 9:53AM by TMZ Staff
TLC is dropping the legal hammer on Jon Gosselin -- filing a lawsuit against the guy for breaching his contract on "Jon & Kate Plus 8."
In the suit, filed Friday in Maryland, the network claims Jon was contracted to be an "exclusive" employee -- but broke his deal when he began taking money to appear on other shows and talking about "Jon & Kate" without proper permission.
Jon has appeared as a guest on all sorts of shows lately -- most recently appearing on "Entertainment Tonight."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, TV, Jon & Kate
Tags: jon gosselin, JonGosselin, lawsuit, tlc
Posted Oct 16th 2009 8:17AM by TMZ Staff
UPDATE: BTW -- the vom-fest was edited out of the West Coast airing of "Today."
UPDATE: TMZ has learned the Larimer County Sheriff's Dept. has called an internal meeting at 8 AM local time to determine what they're going to do in this case.
Just when you thought the balloon boy saga couldn't get more twisted, six-year-old Falcon Heene just threw up during a live interview ... while his father and Meredith Vieira kept chatting it up.
Right after the family was asked to explain Falcon's comments on Larry King Live that his "disappearance" was "all for the show," the kid asked his mom to "give me the cup" ... and, well, you can guess what happened next.
He walked off an interview earlier during "GMA" for the same reason.
WARNING: This is just nasty.
Filed under: TV, Balloon Boy
Tags: Balloon Boy, BalloonBoy, Diane Sawyer, DianeSawyer, Falcon Heene, FalconHeene, Larry King Live, LarryKingLive
